Killing a man in defense of an idea is not defending an idea; it is killing a man.
Through most of my career, I've made a decent living making movies no one wants to see.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the irony of creating art that may not be commercially successful, yet still brings fulfillment to the creator.
Jean-Luc Godard's quote reflects the struggle and dedication of artists who produce films that may not resonate with mainstream audiences. It underscores the notion that creating art is not solely about financial success, but also about personal expression and passion. Godard's acknowledgment of this reality speaks to the complicated relationship between art, popularity, and the fulfillment an artist derives from their craft, regardless of public reception.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about independent filmmaking, this quote might illustrate the often overlooked passion behind less mainstream projects.
More from Jean-Luc Godard
All quotes βI don't think you should feel about a film. You should feel about a woman, not a movie. You can't kiss a movie.
Sometime reality is too complex. Stories give it form.
More or less, I am always saying, 'Give me more. Let's do what has not been done.'
Objects exist and if one pays more attention to them than to people, it is precisely because they exist more than the people. Dead objects are still alive. Living people are often already dead.
Cinema is not a series of abstract ideas, but rather the phrasing of moments.
Similar quotes
Look at a football field. It looks like a big movie screen. This is theatre. Football combines the strategy of chess. It's part ballet. It's part battleground, part playground. We clarify, amplify and glorify the game with our footage, the narration and that music, and in the end create an inspirational piece of footage.
I love to see lack of clarity in a performance as well as clarity, as well as trust, as well as the kinds of things that human beings go through. I love to see spontaneity and 'inevitability.' How it gets there is going to shock the hell out of me, but it will get there somehow.
Art is an invention of aesthetics, which in turn is an invention of philosophers... What we call art is a game.
The musical scale is a convention which circumscribes the area of potentiality and permits construction within those limits in its own particular symmetry.
When things go wrong, this is what you should do. Make good art.
I've long believed that good food, good eating, is all about risk. Whether we're talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime 'associates,' food, for me, has always been an adventure